WSC WIPA

All about ABLE accounts

An ABLE account is a tax-free savings account that lets people with disabilities manage their money without impacting Medicaid and Social Security Income (SSI). April is National Financial Capability Month! You can follow this link to find out more about ABLE accounts from the ABLE National Resource Center (ABLE NRC). ABLE NCR’s latest AchievABLE newsletter lists upcoming webinars and resources including an overview of all U.S. ABLE programs sorted by state here: https://www.businessinsider.com/…/able-accounts-by-state.

ABLE NRC Program Spotlight: STABLE Account

Next week, join ABLE NRC for our ABLE Account Spotlight covering the features of STABLE Account and the recent achievements of the program.

WWNO interviews Dr. Rose Angelocci about how the Krewe of King Arthur accommodates riders with disabilities

New Orleans Public Radio interviewed HDC’s Rose Angelocci, Ph.D., CRC, CWIC and her friends from the Krewe of King Arthur, Mary LeBlanc and Loretta Brehm, about how the parade accommodates riders with disabilities.

Celebrate NDEAM with HDC’s PAY Check program

Do you have plans to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) this October? HDC’s PAY Check program can help you celebrate this national event! We are keen to partner with local organizations and businesses to show your network that workers with disabilities can be loyal and dedicated assets to any team.

disABILITY Inclusion Job Fair October 12

Come meet dozens of employers ready to hire at the virtual disABILITY Inclusion Job Fair on Wednesday, October 12th 9 AM – 12 PM, hosted by the Louisiana Workforce Commission and Healthy Blue. Job Seekers can scan the QR Code below or click here to register.

Reporting Life Changes to Social Security

Social Security’s latest blog post discusses the why and how to report life changes when you receive benefits:

Why It’s Important to Report Life Changes to UsSocial Security Matters (ssa.gov)

Organize Your Finances and Disability Expenses

April is Financial Literacy Month and ABLEnow offers many helpful online resources to help you keep track of your personal finances. For example, ABLEnow offers an Expense Tracker to help you organize your Qualified Disability Expenses. With the Expense Tracker, you can:

• add details such as dates, providers, and expense categories
• upload receipts
• enter expenses paid with cash
• review expense totals

You can even download your Expense Tracker as a spreadsheet to print or save it for personal use.

FCC Affordable Connectivity Program

The Federal Communications Commission offers an Affordable Connectivity Program to help ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare, and more. Discounts are up to $30 per household per month. Eligible households can purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from a participating provider if they contribute between $10 and $50 toward the purchase price.

Making Mardi Gras More Accessible at Krewe of King Arthur

Being a member of the Krewe of King Arthur enables you to ride in one of the largest and most diverse Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans. Since its beginning, the Krewe of King Arthur has been known for welcoming people of all backgrounds and ethnicities, including people with disabilities.

For people with disabilities, riding in a parade may not seem like an obvious way to participate in Mardi Gras as the crowds may be intimidating. However, Dr. Rose Angelocci, a Community Work Incentives Coordinator (CWIC) at HDC, may change your mind. Dr. Angelocci, who is blind, has been riding in the Krewe of King Arthur since 2015 with her entire family. She was introduced to the Krewe by her friend Mary Leblanc, a long-time member and former Queen, who is visually impaired. Dr. Angelocci wants to spread the word to people with disabilities that riding in a parade can be considered a wonderful way to enjoy Mardi Gras. She points out that there are many other Mardi Gras Krewes that have riders with disabilities and the Krewe of King Arthur is just one example.

HDC Spotlight: Ray Leger, BA, CWIC

Because October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), this spotlight has a special focus on employment. Visit the NDEAM homepage to learn how you can help build an inclusive workforce.

Donald “Ray” Leger has worked as a Certified Work Incentives Counselor (CWIC) for the Human Development Center’s Work Incentives Planning and Assistance project (funded by the Social Security Administration) since 2006.  Ray is passionate about being of service to others and has loved every minute of his role helping people understand how work affects their benefits. Today, he is Project Manager of the West South Central Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WSC WIPA) program.